Biological effects of low power microwaves: experimental evaluation at molecular and cellular levels

Abstract

The Radiofrequency (RF) and Microwave (MW) radiation refer to electromagnetic fields with frequencies between 300 kHz -300 MHz and 300 MHz-300 GHz respectively. The most important applications of RF/MW found in various communication systems (mobile telephony), and microwave heating (food technology and medical applications). The RF/MW radiation is non-ionizing because the energy levels associated with it are not high enough to cause ionization of atoms and molecules. But RF/MW can produce resonance interactions with ions and with charged macromolecules, and such interactions can significantly alter biochemical functions. A large body of research has shown that MW/RF causes an increased production of free radicals and reactive oxidant species in living tissues, and that this increased oxidant stress can damage DNA. This damage can and does occur at power levels well below those levels that could produce damage by thermal mechanisms. The mobile phone system operating at about 900 and 1800 MHz for Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM); 800 and 900 MHz for Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA); 1800 MHz for Long Term Evolution (LTE); and 2100 MHz for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is located in a region of the spectrum that is referred to as both microwave (MW) radiation and RF radiation. There is a large body of internationally accepted scientific evidence which points to the existence of non-thermal effects of RF/MW radiation. The issue at the present time is not whether such evidence exists, but rather what weight to give it. RF/MW radiation research have shown that RF/MW transmissions of the type used in digital cellular antennas and phones can have critical effects on cell cultures, animals, and people in laboratories and have also found epidemiological evidence of health effects at "non-thermal levels," where the intensity of the RF/MW radiation was too low to cause heating. This PhD research project is aimed at investigating the effects of low intensity/power MW radiation on selected cells and proteins with the specific focus on the frequencies emitted by mobile phones. The project includes the following sub-studies: 1. Design and fabrication of the custom-made microwave exposure camera. 2. Modeling/simulation of the generated field inside the custom-made exposure camera. 3. Experimental evaluation of the effects of low level microwaves on selected biological systems